I HAVE read with interest the letters from your readers in recent weeks regarding our proposals for the vacant former Focus DIY store at Plymouth Road Retail Park. We certainly welcome all the input received so far in relation to what is a prominent brownfield site in urgent need of regeneration. A number of correspondents have asked why a DIY store cannot occupy the unit, saying there is an obvious need for this type of provision in the town.

We have no objection in principle to a DIY store; on the contrary, this would have been our preferred option and a like-for-like replacement for Focus.

We have been formally marketing the premises through our agents now for more than 18 months. This was preceded by a lengthy period of informal approaches to occupiers which we undertook as we became increasingly concerned over the future viability of Focus as a going concern.

During this entire time we have received no interest from any DIY retailers, a number of whom are understandably not seeking to expand in the current economic climate. We have to be realistic and the fact is that despite our own efforts and those of the administrators of Focus, there has been no demand from this sector of the market for this store.

As recent articles in this paper have reported, the interest we have received in the property as a whole has been from three well known supermarkets, although due to the current planning restrictions they are unable to operate from the unit at present.

Our intention, therefore, is to submit a planning application early in 2013, following community consultation, to allow for a medium-sized supermarket to operate from the existing building on the site. No additional floorspace would be created and the total sales area would be smaller than the existing Morrisons and almost half the size of previous proposals at Brook Farm.

This proposal represents a fantastic opportunity to bring back into use a currently vacant brownfield site at a key gateway to the town, providing up to 150 jobs. Reducing pressure on the significantly overtrading Morrisons store and providing further retail choice will serve to ensure that shoppers from Tavistock and its rural catchment spend their money in the local economy rather than seeing them leak to Plymouth and Okehampton.

We are fully aware of the unique, vibrant nature of Tavistock's strongly independent town centre. Our proposal will provide a main-food shopping alternative to Morrisons, complementing the unique and specialist goods in the town centre.

The overall effect of this will be to increase expenditure in the local economy by providing more retail choice and jobs for local people.

Jonathan James MRICS

Director

Marchfield Properties Ltd